Most members of constitutional commission to be appointed by Syrian government - minister

The Syrian foreign minister claimed that UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura "is not authorized to either form the constitutional commission or to interfere in this process"

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BEIRUT, June 2. /TASS/. Syria’s government "has the right to appoint most members of the constitutional commission," due to gather in Geneva under the auspices of UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said at a news conference in Damascus on Saturday, cited by Syria TV.

The body, which was agreed to be set up in January at the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, "will pass its own decisions by a majority of vote," according to Muallem.

The Syrian foreign minister categorically claimed that "de Mistura is not authorized to either form the constitutional commission or to interfere in this process."

Muallem said that "all recommendations related to constitutional amendments voted by the commission should be approved at the next [Syrian National Dialogue] Congress in Sochi."

"Afterwards, the Syrian government, which will take necessary steps guided by the current legislation, will enact them," the deputy prime minister added.

The date has not been fixed for a meeting of the constitutional commission, he said.

"There are many uncertainties in the issue," he concluded.

On January 30, the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi hosted the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, which participants agreed to set up a constitutional commission. The commission will draw on a pool of 150 names (100 names from the government and internal moderate opposition and 50 names from external opposition). They, alongside UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, are due to draft a new constitution for the country.